Love Filled Lust
by xxosnapitsakarixx
Summary: After her deceased grandfather will's the farm to her, Akari is forced to move to Castanet Town and take the farm into her own hands, determined to follow in his footsteps. She wanted people to view her as being capable for once in her life. That's until herself and the Mayor's son Gill take an interest in each other that soon leads to a special bond...Rated M in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

"W-What?! He willed the farm to me? What was he thinking?! I mean, I loved visiting him there, but not enough to take over for him!" I yelled into the phone at my mother, clenching the piece of paper she had mailed to me, that had come from my grandfather.

"Now, now, Akari. Your grandfather loved you enough to put his farm in your hands. You're an adult now. I'm sure you can take care of things without complaining about it. Haven't you always dreamed of leaving the city?" Her tone sounded exasperated, like she would hang up any minute. I could sense her irritation even through the phone. More so, how could she say this to me? Her own daughter? Couldn't she take my feelings into consideration? Of course not.

"Yeah, sure I've dreamed of leaving the city. But not to dedicate my life to a farm I wouldn't be able to control! Can't we just sell it? Then dad will be able to pay for the severe rash on his-"

"Enough Akari! You're going, final answer! I'm not arguing with you anymore. I've already set up the paperwork for your apartment to be sold. The car will arrive tomorrow morning. Until then, begin packing. Goodbye dear." Those were the last words she spoke to me before slamming the phone down, only hearing the disconnected tone sound through my ear.

Slowly placing the phone down on the table, I looked around my soon to be gone apartment. The relaxing smell of my reed diffusers, the fuzzy carpet I would walk across every morning to make coffee. Browsing through channels only to find documentaries about mermaids. Casual stuff like that I would miss. But soon, I would be experiencing the smell of manure pouring through the open gaps of the windows. Or was I complaining over nothing, and it would actually turn out to be a great experience for me? I loved the country. Always had. But how would I run a farm without screwing everything up, with the risk of my grandfather's angry spirit scolding me? That I wouldn't want at all. I loved him too much to imagine something like that. Though, maybe my mother was right. He loved me enough to trust me with the farm he dedicated his whole life to. Saying no, I would be a disappointment to my entire family. If I had to admit one thing, I was flattered that he left something so important to me, while he could have handed it over to another member of the family.

"Alright. Now, what was the name of the town again?" I rushed over to the phonebook, deciding to contact the city hall to inform them on what the situation exactly was. It would be slightly awkward if I were to arrive out of the blue, without telling them. Flipping through the pages, my finger drew across the letter C. Stopping my finger, I smiled to myself when I finally spotted what I was looking for. "Yes. Castanet it is! Now let's call."

I picked up the landline yet again, dialing the number while looking off the page. Then I heard ringing. It rang about 4 times before someone picked up.

"Town hall of Castanet, how can I help you?" The voice sounded quite young to be the mayor. Maybe I had gotten the wrong number?

"Oh, uh, I think I may have the wrong number. I'm looking for…" I stopped speaking to check the name of the mayor that was listed underneath the city. "Hamilton. Yeah, Hamilton." I spoke again, but this time, more clear.

He chuckled over the phone. "Do you mean Mayor Hamilton? I apologize, but he's out right now preparing a new resident. May I be of any assistance?" He sounded determined to solve my issue, yet I hadn't even known who this was. Maybe an intern of some sort. It didn't matter to me right now though.

"That resident he's preparing for is me. That's why I called, to say I'll be arriving tomorrow if you hadn't known already." I was surprised how cheerful I had sounded on the phone.

"Ah…" His voice grew distant for a moment, as if he had moved away from the phone. I heard papers ruffling in the background, and soon, he returned to the phone to speak again. "Your name is Akari, correct?"

"Yes, that's me."

"Then yes, we've been informed of your departure tomorrow. Is there anything else I can help you with in the meantime, Akari?" He spoke my name again, so I decided it was my turn to ask who I was even speaking to. It was only fair.

"I'd just like to know whom I'm speaking to, that's all." I giggled to myself, and he answered in a professional voice. Did this guy have a reputation to maintain or something?

"Oh, excuse me for not stating earlier. I'm Gill Hamilton, Mayor Hamilton's son. Now if there's nothing else I can help you with, I must tend to other duties. Goodbye." He hung up the phone soon after that, appearing to not want to waste his time speaking to me anymore.

I hung up the phone as well, shaking my head while heading up the stairs to prepare my suitcases. Clenching my teeth from nerves, I still had to absorb the fact that starting now, my life would change completely. I would be running a farm, in which I had no clue how to even handle. But I had to try my best. Opening every drawer I possibly had, and opening my closet door, I scooped up every piece of clothing I had, struggling to pack everything all at once.

"This…will be the death of me." I sighed.

Or so I thought.


	2. Chapter 2

I was here. My heart was rapidly pounding in my chest, and my palms were sweating as I clutched onto my suitcases. I was up all night packing, and I'm sure they would notice the black circles under my eyes. I mean, I had tried my hardest to cover it up with foundation, but not even that could hide it. Turning the knob of the town hall, I realized I was grasping onto it harder than I thought. Breathing out loud to myself, I entered the casual, yet well decorated hall.

"Um, hello? Is Mayor Hamilton here?" I said, while my eyes moved rapidly around the room to search for any sign of a mayor-ish looking man. Though how could one spot that right away? Just look for a man in a well dressed suit. Simple as that.

I saw a blonde man come out from around the corner, but he seemed to young to be the mayor. Or..was that the Gill character I had talked to over the phone? We made eye contact for a split second, and he held up a finger to motion he would be right with me. I nodded, even though he was already gone. Trying not to be creepy, I moved to the side, able to see him in full view. I watched him speak on the phone connected to the wall, writing down what seemed to be a message on the notepad in front of him. I watched how he pushed back his blonde hair out of his face, and his bright blue eyes blink every 10 seconds. He sure was good to look at. Oh god, what the hell was I doing? I was definitely acting creepy. As soon as I saw him hang up the phone, I rushed back to the desk, and leaned my elbow against it, to make it look as if I was waiting there the whole time, even though that was a total lie.

"Sorry about that. Now, what can I help you with?" He made eye contact with me again, and sat down in the chair.

"I'm Akari. I'm moving in today, and-"

"Are you alright? You appear very pale." He stood up all of a sudden, his hands resting upon the desk. He peered into my face, causing my cheeks to flush a soft pink, and my lips parted. It seems as soon as this happened, he raised one eyebrow.

I knew it was noticeable. I was so tired that he noticed how terrible I had looked.

"Well now you have some colour in your face. You looked like you had returned from the darkest of the dead." He sighed, and sat back down in the chair, resting his chin on his knuckles. What was that even suppose to mean? That I looked like a zombie?

"You could say that in a nicer way you know. Is it a good idea to speak to your citizens so bluntly? I mean, you don't see me saying that you're-"

Crap. I almost said he was handsome. Then he would have definitely thought I was a creep. He leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms, unsatisfied.

"You should finish your sentences. What were you about to say about me? Whether it be criticism or compliments, please, humour me." His tone wasn't quite cold, but more demanding.

My face yet again started to heat up, and I turned away from him in embarrassment. I heard him give a snarky chuckle, and the sound of him clicking the pen. This guy could be a jerk when he really wanted to. As I continued to turn my back towards him, I heard the bell of the door ring, to see a short man, wearing a blue suit. His hair was grey, and he had a friendly smile on his face.

"Ah! You must be Akari, our new resident yes? I'm Mayor Hamilton." He smiled at me brightly, holding out his hand for me to shake it. I took his hand hesitantly, and he shook it much harder than the average handshake could be. Not to mention he was smaller than me. "Has Gill assigned you to your home yet?"

Of course not. We were too busy bickering to each other about pointless things such as criticism and dead people. Obviously I couldn't say that.

"Yes, it's all organized father. I've separated the paperwork for the mortgage, as well as the recent bill history that had been paid ahead of time."

"What? But I hadn't paid the bills ahead of time. I hadn't even known this place would be mine." I chimed in, as both of them looked at each other, then at myself. As they both rummaged through the piles of papers in front of them. It appeared they had found something important, and Gill handed me a single paper.

"Read this. That will answer your puzzlement."

I took it with both hands, reading through every payment and dates. When I had read the name of who had payed for everything for me, I felt an ache in my chest. A good one, combined with a regretful feeling in the pit of my stomach. My mother had payed everything. The repairs, the furniture, everything. That's why she insisted I go. I felt like a terrible person for refusing her orders. I smiled down at the signature of her name, and my grip tightened.

"My mother...did all this. But why?" I found myself speaking aloud, realizing they had heard me.

"Then that means she must care about you a great deal correct? She wouldn't have done all this just because she wanted to. You should acknowledge her." Gill spoke to me, as I handed him back the paper. But he just shook his head, and pushed it back to me. "Keep it. You might need it at some point in the future."

I looked at him as if completely bewildered at how kind he was at that moment. Then, returning back to reality, I grabbed my bags, and headed towards the front door. As the mayor rushed over to hold the door open for me, I nodded in thanks, and headed off into the direction that I had automatically knew. Even being so young, I could still remember the way from the town to the farm. Yet I had forgotten the town name. That was pretty sad of me.

By the time I had arrived at the farm, I was surprised to see that everything had been repaired to the best way possible. It was jaw dropping. Inside, stood a cute little dining table with two chairs. The bed in the corner was big enough to fit a whole family, or so it seemed. The decor was surprisingly cute, it was hard to imagine my grandfather used to live in a different setting than this. Realizing this was the beginning, I felt a smirk appear on my face as I let my suitcases fall to the floor. On the bedside table, a picture of my grandfather and myself as a child stood there. As I approached it, I trailed my fingers around the wooden picture frame.

"I wont disappoint you. I promise."

I made that a vow to myself, and I wouldn't dream of breaking it.

Evening soon approached, and I felt I should explore the island more than just cooping myself up in the farm house all day. Slipping on my shoes, I headed out the door, walking down the long trail that headed straight through Castanet Town. Seeing it in the evening was far more beautiful than seeing it during morning. The orange sunset was far more noticeable than anywhere else I had ever been in my life. Just being here made me realize how much of a wonderful surrounding my grandfather had lived in. Then, I spotted a very wonderful place. A bar. What stressed adult woman would turn down an opportunity for a drink? As I automatically approached the building, I noticed how busy it was. The clattering of dishes sounded throughout the place, and the medium volume music pushed all of that aside. My eyes wandered aimlessly around, until everyone turned around to face me. A blonde girl wearing a ponytail happily approached me, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"Ah, you're the new one. Akari right? I'm Kathy. Looking to relieve some stress?" She asked, peering into my face. Oh god, I really did look that bad.

"I-It's that noticable? You're not the first one who's said that today." I sighed, as she led me over by the wrist to the bar. As soon as I sat down, a drink was placed in front of me by a kind looking man with a beard.

"Thank you." I said, taking a sip of the drink. As I tasted it, I realized how strong it was. It was like a punch in the face. It kicked into my body as soon as I finished it.

"So, what brings ya to Castanet? New life? Lookin for love?" Kathy giggled as she sat beside me, and looked over at the many customers at the tables. She seemed like a very responsible woman. Maybe I could match up to her someday.

"Actually, my grandfather owned the farm just over on the right side of the town. He willed it to me, so I wanted to take over his duties." I spoke to her, while tracing my finger over the wooden surface. As soon as I said this, she turned back to me with wide eyes.

"Ooo, a farm huh? Well, I wish you good luck. I remember your grandfather always used to come here after work. He was a hard worker. Now that I know you're his granddaughter, I'm gonna expect good things from you." She winked with a joking laugh, and patted me on the shoulder, causing me to smile and chuckle with her.

Suddenly, the doors opened, revealing a dark sky, and a figure walking through the doors. We both automatically looked over to see Gill, waltzing in. He was welcomed by hello's and nods from the other citizens, and came over to the bar. Our eyes met for a minute, then he averted his gaze before sitting down.

"Well, if it isn't Gill. Done work already?" Kathy walked over to the other side of the bar to Gill, and began to shake up what seemed to be his upcoming drink. Peering over at him from my sideview, he had his face buried into the palm of his hands. His fingers combed back his blonde locks, and his eyes were shut tightly.

"I have no choice but to get used to the amount of work given. Though it is not nearly as much as the work my father does." His voice even sounded stressed as he spoke, and as soon as the drink was placed in front of him, he gulped it down. Was I supposed to remain silent and let him sit in silence?

"Hamilton said you can take the day off once in awhile. Why don't cha' follow those orders and relax for once?" Kathy spoke while drying a glass.

Gill didn't say anything after that, and continued to drink. I had to say something. I couldn't just watch this guy beside me stress about it the entire time. Turning to face him, he seemed to realize this, and turned his head only slightly, while his eyes shot to the side to look at me.

"I feel that you stressing about it, will only make you stress out more. Once in a while, take a break, and breathe. Take a walk, or even better, talk with someone who makes you less stressful. That's what I always do. It works. I mean, I've been stressing about moving, and beginning to work, all day. But I'm here to relax, and I couldn't feel any better. Even by talking to Kathy, I felt some of my stress just wipe away. So...I say, instead of focusing on what has to be done every single minute, take a break, and leave it for when you have less stress, and are ready to focus."

He looked at me, as if astonished at everything I had just said. I looked over at Kathy who also seemed surprised, but was nodding her head approvingly. Gazing back at Gill, I saw somewhat of a smirk appear on his face.

"S-Sorry, I kind of, um, rambled on there. Excuse me." I stood up from the bar stool, and waved at both of them, making my way awkwardly out of the bar. I could feel both of their gazes on my back, but I ignored it, and shut the door, only leaving with the taste of the liquor on my tongue.

But I couldn't wipe off the lingering smile off my face.


	3. Chapter 3

"Come on chicky! I've been chasing you for 10 minutes already! Stooop!" I yelled out, looking like a complete idiot as I forcefully tried to catch the chicken racing around the farm. She had escaped the pen from the yard, and wouldn't even dream of cooperating with me. There I was, wearing mud stained jeans, and a red zip up shirt that was awfully tight to even be a farming shirt. "If you don't stop, I'll turn you into chicken nuggets!"

Suddenly she stopped, as I slid onto the ground, taking her into my arms, my eyes squeezed shut. My breathing was loud enough to be heard from the neighboring farm. God only knows the multiple things they would think from that. Still having my eyes shut, I felt her slip out of my arms, and her squawk echo from above me. Opening one eye, I saw big blue eyes looking down at me, displeased, as if making fun of me. Sitting up, I saw Gill, holding the chicken in his arms. Oddly enough, she wasn't squirming at all.

"You look like you're struggling." He chuckled, running his hand across her fur. I just scoffed and stood up, dusting myself off. "Would you like some help? It's the least I can do for the new girl."

"I can do this myself." I said sternly, taking the chicken back into my arms, but as soon as I did this, she began to move around. I put her back into Gill's arms, and he just laughed again, but with a smile. It somehow caused my heart to flutter. "Besides, shouldn't you be doing paperwork or some sort?"

As soon as I did this, he looked away shyly, seemingly to be grinding his teeth together. I could tell he was somewhat hesitating. Then, catching on as late as I did, I grinned, moving in towards his face, as if I was pressuring him.

"Oh? Did the mayors son take my advice from last night? Wow, I thought it would take more to get through to you. I guess not." I joked with him, while we looked at each other with strong eye contact. My chocolate brown eyes were taking town his strong facade. He hadn't been as tough as everyone thought he was.

"Don't be so cocky. I just finished work early that's all." He shyly turned away, his cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink. I giggled, and led him over to the pen to drop off the chicken.

"Thanks for that. You really didn't have to." I wiped my forehead off with my forearm, still having a hint of heavy breathing.

"Just seeing you struggle like that was a show. I had to jump in and help you, that's all." He patted my head like a kid, and turned his back towards me, taking his leave. But before that, I stopped him.

"Y-You saw all that?! Please tell me you didn't see the part where-"

"Where you got milk squirted into your eye? Heh, yeah. I saw that part. All you have to do is learn how to milk a cow properly." He shook his head while grinning over his shoulder, stopping in his tracks.

"Oh?" I said, crossing my arms. "I suppose you think you're such a big shot that you can even handle to run a farm the way I'm doing it right now?" I announced, also walking away from him.

"Of course not. I believe you're a hard worker Akari. You just don't know it, or even recognize it yet. Take your work seriously. Then you can judge yourself on whether you think you suit the position you're currently in."

And at that moment, Gill's words held an impact on how I worked. We both helped each other out, and I knew it wouldn't be the last time we would give advice to one another.


	4. Chapter 4

This week had consisted of my hard work actually beginning to pay off. My milk produced from the cows had earned me quite a comfortable amount of gold. Yet somehow, I found myself work harder when I thought of Gill's words. It was odd for me. I would usually never take other people's opinions into consideration rather than my own. But his stood out to me. Like he meant what he said. But it was sometimes difficult to take him seriously due to his indifferent exterior. Just by thinking about this, I found a smirk appear on my face, and I soon wiped it off with a look of embarrassment. What the hell was I thinking about? I needed a break, and fast. This evening had to come to a close, even though it had only been about 8pm. Deciding to visit my brand new friend Kathy, I slipped on my brown dress coat, and my boots.

The air was quiet, only being able to hear the jingling of my money in my pocket. The warm summer breeze sent a relaxing shiver down my spine, causing goosebumps. Castanet had truly been more beautiful than I thought. It already felt like home. I could feel comfortable around everyone, without having the slightest worry of looking ridiculous, or saying the wrong thing. Everyone was so accepting. Just as I stepped into town, the street lights flashed down upon me, marking the path to the bar more clearly. As I opened the door, I saw it was busy, like usual. I heard my name be cheered once, which I figured was from someone whom had been drunk. I just laughed awkwardly, and waved. Approaching the bar, I saw Kathy who was also busy as usual. She had a tray of drinks in her hand, and was running to each table. She was such a hard worker. I seemed to notice that whenever I came here.

Sitting on the comfortable bar stool, I watched the elegant dancer on the stage, who was truly beautiful. Her red hair was tied up, and her hips swayed side to side, receiving cheers from the audience. I was mesmerized by her, until I heard a snap in my ear.

"Don't get too caught up in the show. This isn't even her second number. It goes on all night, you'll drop dead like the drunks over in the corner." He placed his other hand on my shoulder, while his other hand was pointing over to the passed out man in the corner, holding a bottle of beer. "That's the foreigners for you."

"Wow, to hear such a thing from the Mayor's son is quite shocking. Won't you someday be Mayor? I don't think you should be speaking ill of the foreigners. Especially that one." I teased him a bit, but also meant some of it. He sat beside me, and just rolled his eyes, and ordered a drink.

"Get me two cocktails." He asked politely as possible, while the bartender nodded, and began to shake up a drink right in front of us. I looked at Gill, wide eyed, and astonished.

"Wow. You're a heavy drinker are you? Do you realize how heavy the cocktails here are?" I asked him, and he chuckled. What did he find so funny?

"I ordered one for you. Expect it as a treat for working harder than usual. You deserve it." He shot me a soft smile, and placed the bill on the bar, while our drinks were placed right in front of us. He picked his up, and raised it in the air, awaiting me to do the same. "Cheers?"

I hesitantly took the drink in my hand, while I just gazed at him, raising an eyebrow. Our cocktail glasses clinked together, and we both took a sip at the same time, still grasping each others eye contact. I felt the alcohol on my tongue, as well as the fruity flavour. Much like raspberry. It was a nice surprise I should say.

"Uh...If I were to ask you to get out of here with me for a night stroll, would you bother to accept my invitation? That had been my original plan anyway."

I laughed. "Why would I say no? It's a beautiful night. It's best to enjoy it with one's company. That's my own personal opinion anyway." I chugged the remainder of my cocktail, while Gill had already been done. Fast drinker.

He held out his hand to help me off of the stool, while I graciously accepted it. I looked behind my shoulder to see Kathy meet my gaze. She shot me a thumbs up and a wink, and I just shrugged, holding back a small giggle. As we exited the bar, the warm air greeted me once again. I released a sigh of relief, and Gill looked over at me.

"You really do enjoy the outdoors don't you?" He asked me, while we walked side by side, to a destination unknown. "That's to be expected of a farmer."

"I guess I got it from my grandfather." I chuckled, stuffing my hands into my pockets. "My parents always stayed indoors. I was always so active as a child, and most of it I spent outdoors. I would even ask to eat my dinner outdoors. I was very odd. Not like that's changed anyway." I stared down at my shoes as I spoke, and I could feel Gill's gaze on me still.

"That's not a bad thing in my opinion. We are all unique in our own ways, are we not? It's quite boring if we're all the same. That's like comparing you to me."

"Are you saying we're very different?" I looked up at him, grinning. His cheeks slightly turned pink, and turned away from me. His sudden shyness made me puzzled.

"I-I'm just stating facts. Whether you compare two people, they will never be the same. As much as people compare me to my father, I am aware of our differences. It's irritating. Wouldn't it just be better to be known as your own person?"

I just listened to him talk, yet again feeling like all his words were soaking into me. He had such a way of making me believe everything he said. He could convince me of anything. Whenever his deep voice spoke, it made me shiver. A good kind. I hadn't known Gill as much as I had hoped, but tonight, I learned more about him. Enough to call him somewhat of a friend. I didn't know if he had felt the same way, so I remained silent. That was usually best for me.

"I'd love that. Just one day, I'd love to have people recognize me as Akari, the regular farm girl who moved to Castanet. Not the granddaughter of the former farmer of Castanet, who just decided to take over. Can you imagine how that makes me feel?"

"I thought that of you the first time we spoke over the phone."

"What?"

He stopped walking, and stood with perfect posture. His eyes were glued on me, and he looked sternly at me.

"From the moment I spoke to you, I hadn't even thought of comparing you to your grandfather. Although he was a kind, remarkable man, I knew that you were your own individual. Ah, it's the new farmer Akari, coming to live in our town, and running a farm. That was the first thought in my mind. So how does it feel to know I was the first one not to compare you?"

I felt my heart begin to pound, and my hands begin to sweat. I could practically feel my heartbeat pounding out of my chest. Knowing he had done such a thing made me feel important. Like I could be my own person, without having to live up to certain standards. I had to cut this moment short. I felt odd just being in this situation with him. My eyes wavered, and soon travelled their way to the ground. I took a step back, and looked back at him with a kind expression.

"As happy as that truly makes me, I should really get going. Turning in early is probably the best thing to do." I turned my back towards him so he was unable to see the stiff expression on my face. It hadn't been due to awkwardness around him, more to the fact that I felt something uneasy when I faced situations like this with him. "I really enjoyed spending time with you, Gill."

"W-Wait!" He grabbed my wrist, turning me back to look at him. Yet again, he was as red as a tomato. "I feel like a complete fool to ask you of something so childish. But may we meet again like this? I do not get to experience this very often due to work. I need as much fresh air as I possibly can."

I was silent for a moment, biting my lip hard enough to make it bleed, although it didn't. I sighed, and chuckled silently, revealing a smile. His eyes slightly widened at my expression, then reversed back to normal.

"I'd love that. It's good to know I've made another friend."

"Yeah…I suppose so." He murmured, digging his hands into his pocket, removing his grasp on me. I took a step backwards still facing him, until I turned my back, and started to walk home, hearing his departing footsteps behind me, slowly grow quieter and quieter, until I was unable to hear them anymore.

"Friends…huh?" I whispered under my breath.


	5. Chapter 5

"Come on dude! If you think she's hot go for it!" Chase exclaimed over the bar at Luke, who's cheeks had been red as the tomato dish that had been placed in front of him. Reaching over the table, he slammed his hand over Chase's mouth, whom had pushed his hand off immediately, shooting him a look of discomfort.

"Shut up dude! It's not like I want to date her or anything! Don't you ever think a girl is just burnin' hot? You know what I mean!" He was so flustered, people around the bar looked at him, as if he was completely insane. "I've just saw her here before and thought she was cute! Besides, doesn't she have a thing with Gill?" His voice turned cold at this thought. It had been bluntly obvious he had a crush on Akari. Barely even knowing who she had been, it was obvious his only thoughts were that she was attractive.

"Who do I have a "thing" with?" Gill emphasized that word as he walked in, hearing Luke's recent thoughts. His arms were crossed, as he shot Luke a disheartening look. He had never gotten along with Luke very much. He was looking forward to hearing what he had to say. Staring daggers into him, Luke leaned back into his chair, as Chase stood behind him, grinning at Gill.

"Shit! Gill, you're here!" Luke's eyes widened, and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Uh, we were just...never mind! See ya!" He hopped out of his chair, and ran towards the exit, with a trail of wind following behind him.

"What was that even about? I swear, he acts like a child. Has he matured at all?" Gill groaned, running his fingers through his messy blonde locks. Yet again, he had overworked himself. Though Akari's words had gotten through to him, he hadn't been able to stop the word he was told to do. He forced himself to get it all done at once.

"Stop being such a grouch Gill. Hell, I shouldn't be talking. I have that reputation sometimes." Chase chuckled, as he took away Luke's empty plate of food. As he approached the sink, he spoke to Gill from over his shoulder. "So? Answer the question Do you have a relationship with the farmer girl? You've been seen with her a couple times. If you don't want people to think you're involved with her, I'd keep myself distanced for now."

"Huh? Now you're talking nonsense. We're just...friends? That's what she said at least." Gill mumbled. "I barely even know the girl. It's only been a while since she came here you know. Besides, I just broke things off with Luna. But you're right. I should distance myself. Rumors are a pain in the ass."

"Aaah, the crazy girl over at the tailors. Isn't she like, 12?" Chase chuckled to himself as his back faced Gill, while beginning to sauté mushrooms on the stove. The aroma was quite strong.

"Are you trying to say you think I'm a pedophile? You idiot. She's of legal age. Why on earth would I date a girl that age?" Gill got flustered, and loosened his tie, receiving an image of Luna's innocent face appear in his mind. Although, Chase was right. Luna looked younger than she really did. "Maybe you're the one crushing on her." Gill scoffed, resting his chin against his fist.

"You know me better than that. Besides…" Chase finished his sentence in a quiet tone.

"I only go for blondes." Chase whispered to himself, making sure Gill could not hear a word he spoke.

* * *

><p>"Whew! All finished!" I collapsed onto the warm green grass, hearing the sound of my animals inside the barn, happily talking to themselves. I could feel the sweat on my forehead, while my entire body was sprawled onto the ground. The evening sky formed above me, giving a slight tinge of a pink and orange sky. Farm work was harder than I imagined, but I finished it. As I peeked over at my patch of tomatoes and lettuce, I smiled, realizing how hard I really did begin to work. "This has nothing to do with you grandpa, does it?" I whispered, looking back up at the sky. My voice was raspy, probably due to my nonstop work. I began at 8am this morning, till about now. I must have worked 10 hours. No wonder I felt so weak.<p>

"Come on Akari, let's get you some rest. How about a visit to the beach in Castanet? Yeah! That's perfect." I spoke to myself like a crazy person, while helping my body up. Walking slowly on the path to the town, I was surprised I had nothing on my mind to worry about for once. Tomorrow would be my day off, and it made me happy. I could leave all my work alone for an entire day. Yawning due to my exhaustion, I finally made it down to the beach. The water sparkled underneath the orange sunset, while I sat on the warm sand. My knees tucked into my chest, and my hands wrapped around my legs. Hearing the sound of the waves was a relaxing sound, I could stay here forever.

"Appreciating more of the town are you?" A voice spoke behind me. I turned around my shoulder, to see it was obviously Gill, standing above me. Not looking at me, instead, the ocean. I smirked at him, then turned back. We did seem to run into each other more regularly.

"Yeah. It really is more beautiful than the city. I've always liked the countryside. What about you?" I asked him.

"Well, since I've been living here all my life, then wouldn't it make sense to say I'm used to this sort of lifestyle?" He responded, somewhat harshly, but kind at the same time. A neutral response I suppose you could say.

"That's right. Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"You're stupid sometimes." He sat beside me on the beach, keeping a respectable distance. I peeked over at him, while the sun reflected off his face, revealing his flawless face. He really was handsome. His blue eyes were much more noticeable than during the day. His perfect complexion. I found myself admiring him yet again like when I first came here. How the warm sunset reflected off his pale, porcelain skin. I could have figured he was popular with the ladies.

He looked at me, and obviously, I quickly looked away, hoping the sun had hidden my blushing face. Oddly enough, he didn't say anything, and looked back to the sunset. It wasn't much of a sunset anymore, due to the night sky quickly approaching. I felt my body sway back and forth, and suddenly, I held my head due to dizziness.

"Whew. Looks like I overworked myself today." I spoke aloud, completely forgetting Gill had been beside me. More importantly, why was he in my company? Hadn't he had work to catch up on before the day ended.

"Will you be alright? Maybe we should get you to the doctors. I wouldn't want to see you pass out on the beach." He stood up, and held out his warm hand for me to take. Looking up at him, I hesitantly took his hand, feeling him pull me up instantly.

I guess so." My voice was weaker than before, knowing that I really did need to go to the clinic. As he held my body up in an awkward way, I laughed, and he just looked at me odd. "You're very awkward with your body movements. It's like you're completely avoiding touching me."

"W-Well, I don't want to make this uncomfortable. We barely know each other. I'm just trying to help you, that's all."

"Barely know each other?" I asked him, feeling somewhat hurt that he would say such a thing. When really, I should have accepted it the way it was. He had probably been this way with everyone. He had been the first person to greet me when I arrived, so I thought possibly, he would consider me more than an acquaintance.

He didn't respond, and I began to get flustered. Slipping out of his grasp, I looked back at him, and gave a weak smile. Why was he avoiding me all of a sudden? He had never been like this before. If he had come to the beach to greet me, I would expect him to act friendly. But instead, it was like he was keeping a respectable distance.

"I appreciate your concern, I really do. But I can take care of myself. I don't need the mayor's son to show worry over me. You should get back to work. Goodbye Gill." I stammered a bit, while I turned my back towards him. He hadn't bothered to stop me at all which was a good thing.

As I began to walk back, I felt my knees lock. My head began to pound, causing my thoughts to disappear in a flash. My heart began to speed up rapidly, and before I knew it, I had made contact with the ground, causing all consciousness to slip away.


	6. Chapter 6

I woke up in a familiar surrounding, with the slight scent of rubbing alcohol immediately making its way through my nose, and my head. It was intoxicating for someone like me, whom had still been lightheaded. I managed to overwork myself to the point of exhaustion. I hadn't known whether to be proud of myself for being dedicated, or being a complete fool for putting my body under such extreme stress.

"Ah, you're finally up. Akari, correct? At least that's what it says on my clipboard." Jin, the doctor, came into the room, eyes fixated on the paper attached to his clipboard. His eyes met mine for a moment, then returned to the paper.

"Y-Yeah..Sorry if I've been too much of a burden. I have that impact on people often." I chuckled shyly, and he suddenly disappeared for a moment. Although I could hear his voice softly speaking behind the curtains, with the slight sound of ruffling. Oh god, he wasn't going to give me a prescription was he? No, don't be silly. There's nothing wrong with me.

He came back into the room with a bouquet of roses. The bright red colour was captivating with beauty. I was memorized by the amount of flowers, and Jin chuckled, and soon held it out for me to take.

"Huh? Are you giving me these?" I asked him, taking hold of the flowers. The smell was quite strong, as if they had just been planted recently. He shook his head, and opened his mouth to speak.

"A young man named Luke asked me to deliver these to you. He wanted me to pass on the message of how he hopes you're well now."

I remained silent as Jin exited the room, and I stood up, holding the roses to my nose. I breathed in the refreshing scent, and oddly, I thought these were from someone else. It was weird of me to think he would do such a thing after showing hints of avoidance. I sighed aloud, and made my way out of the clinic, looking around for someone who I could get hints of whom this Luke character was. Figuring Kathy may have known something, I jogged over to the bar, making sure to hold onto the bouquet tightly so no roses would make their way out of my arms.

As I walked in, I looked around for Kathy. My eyes wandered through the room, but I couldn't find any sign of her. But I did see someone I didn't particularly feel like seeing at this present moment. Backing up towards the door, attempting to leave as quietly as I could, she came out from the back, and made eye contact with me.

"Akari! Ooh, have you brought me a gift?" She yelled aloud, causing Gill to look behind his shoulder. His eyebrows rose, possibly because I was holding flowers that were bigger than my head. I slowly approached her, and she smiled big at me.

"I-I actually had a question. I woke up to have these given to me. Although...I'm not quite sure of who the deliverer was." Why was my voice shaking so much? I've spoken in front of Gill plenty of times, but somehow, I felt nervous just by being here.

"Heh...Looks like someone's got a secret admirer! Did they give a name?" Kathy leaned over the table, revealing her chest. I coughed a bit, and looked away, then back at the flowers. "Come on! Spill the details. I'm sure Gill wants to know too." She winked at him, but he stood up from his chair, and took a last sip of his drink.

"I'm not interested. I should return to work anyways. Goodbye." His tone was somewhat cold, sending a shiver down my spine.

"A boy named Luke. That's all I was told."

Suddenly, a glass shattered to the ground, to reveal Gill, staring blankly at the ground, hair covering both his blue orbs. His hand was still reached out, as if he was still holding his glass. Kathy gasped, and approached him, but he held his arm out, to prevent her from touching him. She fell back, but I held her up with my hands. We both stared blankly at him, until his body immediately shot up, pushing back his blonde hair that had covered his entire face. His expression was sour, as if he was ashamed of how he had just reacted. Raising one eyebrow, I looked at Kathy who seemed as confused as I had been.

"S-Sorry. I didn't mean to act so impolite. I'll clean it up. Where are your towels?" Gill rushed to the back room, holding his head up higher than he had before. What was with his sudden reaction? Maybe it surprised him as much as it surprised me. Or, maybe Luke hadn't been the type of person to do such a thing.

"What's his deal? Does he not get along with Gill?" I asked Kathy, while she looked over at the direction Gill headed, cradling her chin in her hand. She looked over her shoulder at me, and chuckled nervously.

"Heh well...Luke and Gill have never been on good terms. No one knows why. It's just always been an automatic thing. Nothing for you to worry about Akari! They're both odd anyways." She patted me on the shoulder, making me feel much calmer than before. It made a lot more sense to know the situation. Had he always reacted like this? I hadn't wanted to worry about it too much, since it was not an issue to me.

* * *

><p>"Damn it...where are the fucking rags?!" Gill rummaged through the cabinets, trying his hardest to look for a dishcloth of some sort. As Chase approached him, he looked at him as if he had gone crazy.<p>

"What the hell's wrong with you? Was that you who made that noise in the main room?" Chase asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Of course it was me you blithering idiot! Who else could it have been?" Gill spoke back to Chase somewhat harshly, which soon resulted to Chase grabbing Gill by the collar.

"Look man. You need to stop hanging around Akari. By you being around her, you've totally changed. In a bad way."

"Changed? What do you mean?" Gill was suddenly interested in what Chase had to say. His purple eyes stared directly into Gill's blue ones, inches away from each other.

"You always used to be a workaholic. Now, all you do is hang around here. As much as I enjoy that, or, erm, nevermind. What I'm trying to say is, you need to start focusing on the people, rather than just one of the people. Do you catch my drift? She's a bad influence on you." Chase's voice was stern, which would usually involve Gill believing every word he spoke.

"You're crazy. How can one person have an influence on you? On how you act?" Gill groaned, rolling his eyes.

Chase gripped onto Gill tighter, grinding his teeth. He was trying his hard to pour out words that he refused to speak, although it was difficult not to.

"You really want to know? God, you're such an idiot. Just go home Gill." Chase let go of him, turning his back. His hand made it's way to his forehead, and his eyes shut tight. He reached into the front of his apron, and threw a rag from behind him. "There. Go and clean whatever crap you did out there. See you later."

"Yeah." Gill spoke, holding tightly onto the rag. He had never seen his friend act so harshly and violent. His expression was more serious than he had ever seen before. But maybe that's what made them so similar.

Gill walked back, only to reveal Kathy still in the room. Akari was long gone. Snapping out of where she must have gone, he walked over to the ground, carefully picking up the shattered glass. He could feel Kathy's strong gaze on him as he worked. As he looked up, he saw her grinning mischeviously.

"What's that look for?" He asked, trying to sound as apathetic as he could. Kathy just chuckled, and leaned down to the ground to meet eye level with Gill.

"You like her don't you? I can tell. Not to mention, you're quick to develop feelings."

This caught Gill off guard, causing him to place his bare hand on the floor, causing a cut to form on his hand.

Kathy laughed. "See? You're oblivious of your own feelings. Just admit it."

"I don't like her! Don't you believe me? Why should it matter to you anyways? I wouldn't bother to date someone like Akari." Gill placed the cleaned up glass on the bar, and clapped his hands together, followed by a rubbing action. "I'm leaving." He spoke one last time before officially leaving the bar.

"Gill. Always full of excuses." Kathy rolled her eyes, and returned to her job.

* * *

><p>"Garmon Mines...That's where Kathy said right?" I held the paper in my hands where she wrote his location. I couldn't leave such a beautiful gift alone, without giving a proper thank you. Walking across the bridge leading to Garmon Mines, I was shocked by how different the town and mines had been. You could see the spring between the trees, as well as the top of the mountain hovering over the entire village.<p>

Finding myself too distracted, I spotted the lumberjacks. Happily approaching the front door, I held the flowers to my chest, and turned the knob, soon smelling the aroma of freshly cut wood. I looked around, but didn't spot anyone. Taking a few more steps inside, I heard machinery in the back. Jumping a bit, I was soon greeted by a young man running out of the room, wiping his forehead. He appeared to be exhausted.

"How can I hel-...A-Akari! Hey! You got my roses! Sorry it was so sudden it's just when people work as hard as I do, I feel obligated to treat them with kindness!" He spoke so quickly, it was hard to process every word he spoke.

"Haha, you can slow down a bit. I just wanted to thank you. They're very lovely." I chuckled, and his face turned red from what seemed to be embarrassment. He seemed like a very friendly individual. I hadn't been able to figure out what Gill didn't like about him.

"I'm glad to see you're doing better then!" He smiled brightly, taking a step towards me.

"Me too." I smiled back at him, holding the flowers tighter.

"Uh, listen...I-I know this is sudden but the firefly festival is next week. Did you want to...go with me? If not, it's totally alright! I just wanted to take it as a chance to get to know you better, that's all." He seemed excited as he spoke, which made it hard for me to refuse. Besides, what would it hurt to have the opportunity to get to know someone better? I was always up for making some new friends.

"Of course." I nodded my head, accepting his kind request.

**Eeeh, I'm sorry if my writing wasn't too good in this chapter, I had to restart my entire computer due to virus, resulting in chapter loss. But I hope you enjoyed anyway!**


	7. Chapter 7

It was lately that I had been getting to know the strange carpenter next door. From every afternoon and every night, he would approach my front door, asking for my company, and I graciously accepted. I had used the term "next door" because, with my clear or terrible assumption, he was almost like my neighbor. His house was the first one away's from the farmhouse, with only a bridge to keep our distance. Yet, something had been off. Gill had still been avoiding me like a gut wrenching pile of garbage, trying to keep as much distance from me as possible. My mind knew something was up. His actions and thoughts had always shown through. His body language was quite easy to read, when I really think hard about it. Often, I would find myself daydreaming about how to go about this certain situation.

"Akari." *snap* "Hey, Akari! Earth to Akari!" *snap, snap*

"A-Ah! Sorry..." I mumbled to Luke, staring down at the soft green grass that lay before us. I ran my hand over the soft yet rough texture, pulling it out of the roots. I was like a child during recess.

"Nah, it's alright." He brushed it off with a bright smile, eyes tightly shut. "You've been daydreaming a lot lately huh? Ya homesick or somethin'?"

I looked at him, and shot him a look, as if to tell him not to worry about me. His expression clouded over with what seemed like sadness. I sighed, and placed my hand on his shoulder sympathetically. I hadn't liked it when my issues had invaded someone else's mind. If it was my own personal problems to worry about, I hadn't wanted for them to worry as well.

"Not quite. But I appreciate your concern, really! I'd love to tell you, but I'm not even sure myself of the situation beyond this point. There's nothing I can do but feel it in the pit of my stomach, causing worry. I swear, by the end of this year, I'll have an ulcer." I joked, as we both chuckled, as I leaned against a nearby tree. I let the rays of sun hit against my skin, and slowly shut my eyes.

"H-Hey Akari? I hope you don't think I'm some freak! It's just, I hardly get to talk with anyone except for Bo, my dad, and the munchkins at the mines, but it feels good to get away and start fresh y'know?" I felt him brush his shoulder against mine, while he joined me on the tree. He must have noticed this, and I sensed him jump away, causing me to laugh. But suddenly he went quiet. I felt his gaze no longer on me, as I opened one eye, peeking over at him. I looked over at the direction he was looking over at, and speak of the devil, it was Gill.

"Hey, that's Gill isn't it? Should we call him ov-"

"No. No. Don't do that." I covered his mouth with both of my hands, stopping him from shouting out sooner or later. I had forgotten he took walks at this hour of the afternoon. Out of all people to run into, he just had to come here. Trying to hide in the dark shade of the tree, Luke looked at me with puzzled eyes. Staring back at him, he sighed, and shook his head.

"Akari...Do you like Gill?"

"WHAT?" I accidentally yelled out loud. Covering my mouth after realizing what I had just done, Luke looked at me, wide eyed, shocked from my sudden outburst. I glanced over at Gill, who's gaze was on Luke and I. Without realizing I had clenched onto Luke's arm nervously, I still felt his eyes on mine.

"To just fill you in...I have no romantic feelings for Gill. So don't make silly assumptions like that, alright?" I nodded to him, to make sure he understood the point I was trying to get across. He slowly nodded his head back at me, and gave me a thumbs up. I smiled awkwardly at him, and felt Gill's gaze upon us. Getting up from my feet, I decided I should approach him. My hands clenched into fists, I looked down at Luke, and opened my mouth to speak.

"Give me a minute please. I'd like to go speak to him. Just to clear something up. Stay there!" I backed away from him, and swiftly turned my back towards him, and headed towards the pain in the ass. The accuracy of that comment was pure gold. As soon as he saw me heading towards his direction, he began to head into town. I began to chase him, and sooner and later, he got farther and farther away from me. Stopping in my tracks, I just stopped myself, looking down at my muddy brown boots. I felt an odd lump in my throat begin to form, and a rave of emotions began to spread throughout my whole body. A feeling of anger. Sadness. Breathing from the top of my lungs, I fell to my knees, knowing every action I could possibly do to prevent Gill from treating me like a stranger was impossible. My fists rested themselves upon my knees, and my head was held down. I felt a shadow approach me, knowing Luke must be thinking how pathetic I was acting. It was rude of me to run off and leave him stranded over something so silly.

"S-Sorry Luke...I'll.."

"Do I really look like that guy? Your vision is worse than your intelligence." I heard a sarcastic voice speak above me. I knew that emotionless voice anywhere. The slight smell of cologne. I slowly raised my head, to see a confused looking Gill, holding his hand out for me. Being as idiotic as I was, I didn't take it, and bit my lip hard enough for it to bleed. I looked at him with a blank expression, as he looked at me the same way.

"So are you going to explain to me why you've been ignoring me lately? Or is this you acting friendly so I'm not making a fool out of myself?" I scoffed, ending it with a slight chuckle. "Be honest, or I'll be really embarrassed if you're just lying to make me feel better about talking to you." I supposed he could hear the slight annoyance in my voice, and he sighed, shaking his head. As I stood up to meet his gaze, we looked at each other dead straight in the eyes, as if we were two children, determining who could win a staring contest.

"Why is it so important to you to speak to me anyway? I don't understand-"

"Because you were the first person to welcome me here!" I interrupted him mid sentence, to prevent him from asking such a ridiculous question. "I came here thinking I would be alone. Everyone would greet me with a simple hello, and that would be it. But you were so kind to me. I...I really appreciated your kindness. Then, we began to speak for a while, and I realized how much of a truly good person you are. Nothing can change who you are, not even a person."

His eyes widened as I spoke my last sentence. His eyes wavered down to the ground, seeming hesitant on his thoughts. I tucked my hands behind my back, and continued to study him, awaiting his response. Suddenly, he placed his hand on the top of my head. He had a small smirk on his face, making me feel slightly better than before.

"The firefly festival is tomorrow." He spoke in a hush voice, as if trying to keeping it a secret from the world. I knew from that moment, someone had said something negative about associating with me.

"Yeah. I'm going with Luke." I remembered, and I turned my head over to make eye contact with him. Oddly enough, he had began to practice his axe swinging, which made me giggle slightly. Hearing footsteps become distant, I looked to see Gill was walking away, hands dug into his pockets. Why was he leaving, when he had just began a fresh conversation with me?

"Wha- Where are you going?" I shouted out to him, not bothering to chase after him. I would expect him to give me an answer.

"It's nothing now. I'll see you at the festival tomorrow, with Luke." He emphasized his name, and left into the town, not giving a single glance back. I stood there, bewildered at his change of attitude.

What was wrong with him?


End file.
